7 Ways to Boost Your Metabolism As You Get Older

Everyone wants a fast metabolism that will fight our flab, will push our brain and encourage us to move every day. Unfortunately, this is one of those things that just gets more elusive as we age.

Of course, no one really wants to lose their metabolic edge. However, life does its thing and our metabolism drops off a little more every ten years, meaning that this only becomes increasingly difficult to eat the same foods in the same portions.

A slower metabolism is inevitable, but we can still make a few everyday choices that will help us to keep our metabolism as much as we possibly can. The key is to stay focused and be mindful of how much of an impact our choices have not on just how we look, but how we think and feel.

Whatever the age might be, it is never too late to start making some healthier changes that can have a remarkable impact on our metabolism.

Diet Changes

Clean up your Diet

With this, we don’t mean to just have a healthy diet, but one that essentially leaves out processed foods. Next time you are at the store, have a closer look at the labels.

If it has more than five ingredients, chances are that it is bad for your body and will slow down your metabolism. Instead, focus on eating more real food such as fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, seeds, nuts and whole grains.

Your digestive system will immediately recognize these foods and it will go through its regular process without too much effort to put the essential nutrients in your body. By making a conscious choice to eat clean and healthy every day, you will reduce the strain on your digestive system and in that process, your metabolism will be improved significantly.

Up Your Intake of Dietary Protein and Fiber

Proteins and fiber take longer to be broken down. Hence why eating a fiber and protein-rich diet will stimulate your metabolism to work harder, resulting the burning of more calories.

It is important to remember that real sources of fiber and protein will make all the difference, instead of artificial supplements or unhealthy options such as red meat. Instead, choose a cleaner source of protein that is also packed with natural fiber, such as hemp or pumpkin seeds, almonds, beans, spinach, oatmeal, broccoli, etc.

Drink More Water

Water does not just prevent you from getting thirsty, but also stops your body from slowing down. A certain amount of water is essential for your body to function well every day.

If you do not give your body the required amount, it will eventually slow down, just as it does when you are not eating well or skip a meal. Make it a habit of drinking at least one glass of water first thing in the morning and try and drink up to 48 ounces each day.

Remember, if you are going to be active that day, you will have to drink more to compensate. You can also stay hydrated by drinking plenty of smoothies or herbal tea. If you are a coffee lover, why don’t you try some decafs?

Eat Regularly, but Listen To Your Hunger Pangs As Well

You might think that skipping some meals will let you take in fewer calories, hence resulting in weight loss, but this is the wrong thing to do. When you skip meals, you are indirectly inducing your body to go into ‘starvation mode’.

When this happens, your body is not sure if it will get enough material to run itself, so it will desperately try to hold on to whatever little calories there is by slowing itself down and burning less from the food you have eaten. This way, you will only end up with a much slower metabolism.

Instead, eat small, eat regularly, and eat at fixed times. This will help regulate your body’s metabolic clock, which will then start sending you hunger signals at those fixed times every day.

This is a good thing for your body and your health so listen to those signals and eat up! This doesn’t just mean when you’re hungry but also stopping yourself from over-eating when you’re satisfied.

Lifestyle Changes

Keeping your metabolism in top shape even when you’re at your prime is not just about eating the right foods; it’s a complete lifestyle makeover. Here are a few ways you can clean up your daily routine to boost your metabolism as you age.

Exercise Smart

Exercising always helps to improve your metabolism, no matter what age you are. However, it is important to know what kinds of exercise you should be doing and how you should do them.

Your metabolism needs a variety of them in order to be stimulated. You will notice that the more you do a certain kind of exercise every day, you will feel it becomes easier to complete every time.

This is because your metabolism is adapting to the amount of stress you are putting on it, and over time, the impact of that particular exercise will be gone. By introducing yourself to different kinds of exercises in your workout routine, you will give your metabolism different activity and stress levels in order to push it to achieve new challenges.

Also, giving your metabolism a healthy combination of high and low stress forms of activity can help to prevent an adrenal or metabolic burnout, thus lowering the risks of hormonal decline.

Mix up your high-powered workout with a few low-key exercises such as walking, yoga, weight lifting, stretching, etc. These will help you to reduce the overall stress you are causing and the production of the stress hormone called cortisol, which can cause a metabolic burnout if it stays chronically high for a long period of time.

Pump More Iron, Preferably In the Mornings

Following up on the previous point, weight training is a good way to help you in building more muscles. Working your muscles will burn more calories than burning fat, meaning that this will improve your metabolism overall and increase your fat burning potential.

Lifting weight first thing in the morning will boost your metabolism and keep it running efficiently throughout the day.

Sleep Well

Being active is a good way to burn calories, but to do that you need energy. That’s why you should not skip your sleep. A high quality shut-eye help[s in regulating your blood sugar levels and keeps your metabolism in check.

The more sleep deprived you are, the more resilience you will lose to preform your functions the next day. This means your body will produce an excess of stress hormone, cortisol, which will not just shift your hormonal balance, but also make you put on some weight.

Try and get yourself to sleep well on time so that you can wake up early to start your day, and don’t forget the good old recommendations of getting 8 hours of sleep every day!

Check Your Thyroid

If you continue to experience weight gain despite making some healthy diet changes and lifestyle changes, it might be time for a thyroid checkup. Your thyroid’s functions intimately impact your basal metabolic rate in order to maintain cellular health.

A sluggish metabolism is usually the result of an under-active thyroid and it needs to be addressed immediately.

Additionally, you can take care of your thyroid by eating a healthy, plant-based diet. These contain some powerful nutrients that will stimulate your thyroid and boost your metabolism.

Take care of your metabolism. It goes far beyond just helping you lose weight and looking good; it more about making sure your body has enough energy to keep itself functioning properly so you can enjoy a long, healthy and happy life for years to come.